Teams of men, women and children will take to the ditches and fields of rural Warren and Sharkey counties around sundown Friday in hopes of catching enough armadillos to be named champion of the 3rd annual Norris Outfitters and Shriners Hospitals for Children Armadillo Roundup.

To participate

The 2009 Norris Outfitters and Shriners Hospitals for Children Armadillo Roundup begins Friday at sunset and concludes with an awards ceremony beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday at Alton Norris’ camp in Sharkey County. Teams can register and get more information by calling Norris at 662-873-7018. Registration fees are $10 per team member, and all proceeds benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children.

While the concept may sound strange, the idea is simple: catch as many of the armored animals throughout one night as possible by hand or with a net. Armadillos must not be injured in order to be counted in team totals, and all the proceeds benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children. 

Alton Norris, owner of Norris Outfitters in Cary, organized the first armadillo roundup in 2007 and raised $630 for Shriners. Between the $10 per-team-member entry fee, a raffle and silent auction of items donated by local businesses, the roundup raised about $2,000 for the charity last year.

“It’s just a great way to have some fun and benefit Shriners at the same time,” said Norris. “We have a blast. It’s a family-friendly event, and we encourage anyone to participate.”

The event grew from three teams to five in its first two years. Team Oak Ridge Taxidermy of Vicksburg brought in 18 armadillos last year to take first place and defend its title as champ. Teams choose their quickest catches to participate in armadillo races following the awards ceremony Saturday afternoon, with divisions for men, women and children. All the armadillos are released back into the wild following the races.

A catfish fry will take place at Norris’ camp in Sharkey County on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m., with the awards ceremony, armadillo races, raffle and silent auction to follow. Norris’ camp is located on U.S. 61 North and is the first driveway on the left across the Sharkey County line from Warren County.

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Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com.